The 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships are fast approaching. Being hosted by the cities of Saskatoon and Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada, the Canadians have recently begun forming the team that will try to defend five straight gold medal victories. Among them will likely be NHL defenseman-ready Alex Pietrangelo, who is currently a top prospect in the St. Louis Blues organization. For this season and last, Pietrangelo has been with the Blues, getting his feet wet, but the club seems to think that he’s not quite ready for centerstage, which, in today’s rushed world, may be a good idea.

Pietrangelo has been a member of the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League for the past three seasons. While there, he’s played with – and against – players like New York Islanders rookie sensation John Tavares and Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos. Pietrangelo was actually drafted fourth overall by the Blues in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, three spots behind Stamkos. Since then, he’s had a taste of the NHL – playing in just 17 games to date – but has spent the majority of his time in the OHL.

His slow path to the NHL and the fact that he’s the only NHL player to be cleared by his club to play in the World Juniors makes him a leader by default. The younger players that will make the team for the first time will look to Pietrangelo for guidance and support, and will hopefully learn a thing or two on the ice as well. Whether Pietrangelo has the makeup to be that kind of a leader is yet to be determined, but there’s nothing to suggest that he’s not capable of doing so.

Team Canada goes for an unprecedented six gold medals in six years, and while the roster looks like it may not be as strong as in previous years, Canada is still a heavy favorite. Likely joining Pietrangelo in Saskatchewan will be players such as OHLer Matt Hackett between the pipes and defensive returnees Ryan Ellis and Colten Teubert. The Canadians have never been short on talent, muscling their way through five straight gold medals, and they certainly look ready to compete for six in 2010.